2016 International Community Engagement Program (ICEP) gets underway in Nepal

The International Community Engagement Program (ICEP) this year is taking place in Nepal and a string quartet consisting of Midori, violinist Jeremias Sergiani-Velásques, violist Wenhong Luo and cellist Michael Katz met and rehearsed in Tokyo before flying to Kathmandu with their tour coordinator Chad Cannon.

The purpose of the ICEP, one of the activities of Midori’s non-profit organization Music Sharing, is to offer children, especially those in difficult circumstances, the opportunity to experience the beauty and joy of music and, equally, to offer the participating young musicians an opportunity to widen their horizons and learn more about community engagement.

Over a period of 11 days in December, Midori, Jeremias, Wenhong and Michael will travel by air, car and foot to take part in 20 performances and visits to schools, hospitals and children’s homes in Bhaktapur, the capital Kathmandu, Pokhara, Gorkha, Bharatpur/Chitwan and Lumbini, birthplace of the Budda.

The cultural exchange mission will venture to the country’s most underserved and difficult-to-reach areas, including Gorkha, the epicenter for the 2015 earthquake that killed nearly 9,000 people and wounded 22,000, devastating the region. The sites were selected to align with Music Sharing’s mission to make music accessible to all young people, as well as with Midori’s role as a United Nations Messenger of Peace.

To follow the ICEP quartet’s progress and their adventures, starting in Tokyo and continuing on their travels through Nepal, visit their blog